


Camp Hell

by FawnoftheWoods



Series: Not Alone Anymore [6]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Captain America gets training, FU MCU, Gen, Military, Minor Character Death, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-17 07:08:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16090574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FawnoftheWoods/pseuds/FawnoftheWoods
Summary: Steve never received more than a week of military training before they tossed him at the war.  Col Rhodes is sick of Tony cleaning up after the man, so he decides to do something about it.





	Camp Hell

**Author's Note:**

> Kind of my big ass rant about how the leader of the Avengers has no bloody training but they have him lead a group of solo individuals with strange powers to do unspecified good deeds. Um....this could not have ended well. Here is Rhodey doing something about it. Realistically I could see any number of people doing something rather similar to what Rhodes pulls at the beginning; Coulson, Ross(either of them), even Sam should have seen this. It bugs me that no one saw past the stripes to do so.
> 
> -WARNING- I swear a lot more here than I usually do

Colonel Rhodes sighed as he stomped down the hallway.  He hated meetings! He hated meetings even more when they were about his best friend and his best friend wasn’t invited.  Fuck them!

He waved at Happy.  He was glad Tony had sent him, if Jim got behind a wheel, he was going to cause an accident in this mood.  He could not believe the nerve of the guys in that room. If he hadn’t been the liaison with SI, they would have lost their contracts years ago.  

“Are we stopping to pick up luggage?”  Happy’s question broke through his internal ranting.  A large part of his irritation was that Tony was going to have to bow to these jerks.  Because his best friend carried a chip on his shoulder that size of Manhattan, but it wasn’t ego he was carrying anymore.  Mostly full of guilt, the load weighed Tony down to the point of drowning some days.

This time, no, this incident was hardly Tony’s doing and it was infuriating.  

Jim slammed into the tower, leaving Happy to park the car or continue to his next task, whatever that may be.  The elevator was already at his level and JARVIS took him up without comment.

Tony slouched against the counter when he stormed out.  This was originally planned to be their week to chill. Jim had a lot of ground to make up for with his bestie, but duty interfered.  Duty always interfered!

“Deep breath, Honey-bear.  I’ll handle it.” Tony’s placating snark only added to his fury.  Unsurprisingly, the DOD had already reached out to the billionaire.  Tony gave in more than he fought back these days. Jim hated it.

And for someone Tony had known less than a year and his whole damn life.

Jim remembers being unable to protect Tony from Howard, from that constant negligence.  And from those biting words, but Tony’s armor used to be better. Words didn’t cut so much when you don’t care.  Yinsen had kept Tony alive, he’d revived the teen Jim had loved all those years ago. But he did so by striping Tony bare of all of his shields.  

In some ways, Jim considered, Howard Stark had indeed done his son a favor.  Tony’s emotional armor by the time he hit university had been tough to breach.  It meant that until the Afghan Vacation, it was rare that verbal barbs landed underneath.  The thing Howard didn’t do was give Tony the strength underneath. Tony had been impervious to verbal attacks, but he hadn’t been strong against them.  Then that impervious armor was striped away and it left Tony vulnerable.

Howard hadn’t taught his son how to be strong underneath being safe.  And Jim hated him for that.

No, what strength Tony had was mostly innate.  He got some from the original Jarvis and Jim still remembers the man’s only communication with him, a letter left in his things for James Rhodes.  That man had loved Tony, and taught him that when life, * _cough* father *cough*_ , knocks you down you stand up.  

It was that strength that let Tony be Iron Man after Stane’s death.

But Tony’s shield building was a learning process.  He didn’t want the impervious, untouchable tank of before, but Jim questioned Tony’s understanding of what he did want.

That was where Steve Rogers came in.

Jim had looked up Captain Roger’s service record and nearly shredded Tony when the man claimed the Captain was the leader of the Avengers.  Here was the reason.

He had no fucking training.

A week of basic and a shot of super adrenaline steroids and suddenly, Steve Rogers is a golden boy, incapable of doing wrong.  Fuck them and the bloody horse they rode in on!

“-ney-bear.  Rhodey!” Jim refocused on Tony, who had been leaning into his gaze.  The opposite wall would have holes in it had he the power.

“It can’t continue.”

Tony froze in confusion.  Jim rarely dictated anything to Tony, learning the value of coaxing with the recalcitrant genius early on.  “Tony, you can’t let this continue.”

Tony shook his head.  “I got this! I can handl-”

“NO!”  Jim swiped his hand, cutting his best friend off before he could get started.  He had to make Tony understand. “Even if you smooth this over, and I know you intend to, this can’t continue.”  Jim grabbed Tony to prevent him from staging another circling argument, “Tones, you are setting him up for a fall.”

Tony stopped, closing his mouth in confusion and worry.  Jim took the chance to continue, “He can’t figure it out this way, Tony.  He doesn’t understand, and your cutting him off at the knees. Not everyone can learn to swim in the deep end.  Giving the man a floatie won’t work if you don’t let him figure things out at the same time.”

“But, he is getting better.”  Tony’s whine almost made Jim chuckle.  But he knew he couldn’t afford that reaction.

“Not fast enough.  And how do you think he’ll feel when he does get it and there’s all this collateral damage behind him?”  That at least got Tony thinking. “Tones, he needs proper training.”

* * *

Steve sighed as he placed the book on the stand.  The Gulf War seemed to reflect every other war since his time, pointless.  Just politicians waving sticks and killing soldiers to prove something.

“Atten-hut!”

Steve stood automatically.  The man in front of him was unknown, but he recognized the rank as colonel.  He waited, wondering what the military needed. And how they’d convinced Tony to let them in here.

“At ease, Soldier!”  Steve folded automatically into the at rest position.  “Report on your condition!”

“No injuries remain, Sir!”  Steve waited at the Colonel paced in front of him.

“You have a choice to make, soldier.”  Steve blinked and glanced at the Colonel.  “Yesterday was unacceptable.”

“Sir?”

“Did I say you could talk?”  Steve’s jaw snapped shut. The colonel paced again.  “I said, ‘Did I say you could talk?’”

“No, Sir.”  The colonel turned back to his pacing.  Steve had now placed the rest of the uniform as Air Force.  Several of the medals stood out; Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service, Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Humanitarian, and the Armed Forces Service Medal.  Steve had received his own collection of medals eventually and had to look up some of the newer ones.

“About yesterday-”

“With all due respect, we protected the civilians and subdued our enemies.  Yesterday was tough, but successful.”

The Colonel froze.  Slowly he turned to face Steve.  The look on his face had Steve practically biting his tongue.

“With. All. Due. Respect?”  The colonel was practically breathing ice.  “Rogers, I do not believe to understand the meaning of that phrase.”

“Sir-”

“NO!”  Colonel got in his face, and despite being a few inches shorter than his enhanced body Steve felt the man tower over him.  “You do not understand respect of rank. You interrupted a superior officer. I do not know how Colonel Phillips responded, but in this time, that is not ‘respect’.”

Steve bristled as the word was spat at him.  He barely held himself back from arguing with the colonel.  Technically he wasn’t still in the armed forces, but the skinny kid who idolized soldiers still wanted that.

“We have been remiss in your training and that ends now.  Starting tomorrow you will complete a full basic training segment altered for your physique.  Until completion of this training you are benched from the Avengers barring an emergency. Your second in command will take lead in any missions required in your absence.  Failure to complete this will strip you of your rank in the Armed Forces and retire you from active duty. Do you understand!”

Steve blinked at the speech.  He hadn’t had to translate such a fast paced order since he woke from the ice.  Apparently it took him too long. “I said, ‘Do you understand?’ Soldier.”

Steve frowned, “No Sir, I do not!”  Colonel held his gaze a moment.

“What part is unclear, soldier?”  

Steve considered a moment.  “Sir, you are punishing my team by removing me from command.  People depend on us.”

The colonel waited so Steve continued, “Furthermore, we are not under the US ARMFED jurisdiction.  My rank is no longer linked with the Army. You can’t bench me. Sir.” Steve tried to hold his temper.

The Colonel smiled and it sent chills down Steve’s spine.  “First, _Captain_ , your rank means very little to the army since it was bestowed in a non-combat non-military setting and the activities you performed were those of a first lieutenant in the field only.  I was referring to your rank as the head of the Avengers in the eyes of the military. Second, your team needs a leader who is fully trained so the shit fest that Tony Stark is currently cleaning up doesn’t repeat.”

Steve stared at him in irritation, but the colonel continued, “Furthermore, the Avenger’s connection to the military has been either through SHIELD, where you have no rank, or Tony Stark.  Since both had agreed on your nominal field promotion, the military did not argue. In light of the recent incidents, we are now stating our opinion. So you have a choice to make.”

The colonel turned and paced away to look out the window and Steve gritted his teeth at the display of power.  “Four options Rogers. You can resign as head of the Avengers. You can retain your command and remove the Avengers from amicable interactions with the US military and possibly other militaries.  You can train with the Army.” The colonel paused and looked back at him.

For the first time the military air thinned and Steve saw some of the man seep through.  He remembered Colonel Phillips doing the same thing, slowly sharing a sense of humor and dry wit Steve appreciated.  “Sir?”

That seemed to shake the Colonel out of his fugue.  “Or you can train with me.” The colonel seemed to regard him a moment before nodding.  “your answer in the morning, 0500 hours in the Avenger common room.”

“But you don’t have access to the Avenger’s Common room.”  Steve protested, earning a hard glare and the retreat of any personality.  

“0500 soldier!  Dismissed!”

The colonel strode back to the elevators, which opened immediately for him.  Steve practically gaped as the colonel didn’t even turn to look at him. Probably a good thing, since he forgot to salute.

* * *

Steve huffed as he plowed through another basket of fried chicken.  He glanced over at his team, minus Tony and Thor. He’d just finished relaying the meeting.  Clint shrugged at him.

“He’s not entirely wrong about yesterday.  Tony must have done some groveling to prevent that from coming back to bite us.”

Steve frowned at him, “What more did we need to do?”  

Clint looked at him and shrugged, “I’m a sniper, Cap.  I can see big picture and little picture, but I don’t do strategy or tactics.  All I know is that there was fall out and it was bad.”

Next to him Bruce nodded.  Natasha didn’t respond, but Steve didn’t get the disagreement vibe from her.

“So you think I should do this?”

Bruce wasn’t looking at him, but when he met Natasha’s gaze she shrugged and nodded.  “Like I said on the carrier, we’re all on the terrorist watch list. This could go a long way towards smoothing out some ruffled feathers in the military.  

“Plus you’d learn more.”  Clint piped up from across the table  “Can always disregard training, but its sometimes hard to pick it up on your own.”

Bruce frowned “What I don’t understand is that this Colonel seemed to think he could enter this floor.”

Steve shrugged, “I mentioned that, he didn’t seem to think it was a problem.  I didn’t catch a name.”

“How about a description.”

“Tall-ish, black, thin,”  Steve rattled off a description to Natasha’s comment.  “Regimented, maybe 40’s. Military soft buzz cut. Air Force.”

Clint was frowning but Natasha’s face cleared and she picked up her phone.  A few clicks and she showed Steve a picture of the colonel.

“That’s him.  You know him?”

Natasha showed the picture to Clint, who whistled.  “Damn. You must have really gotten Tony in trouble.”

“What?”

Natasha spoke before Clint could say whatever he seemed to be gearing to say.  Probably for the best if his smirk was any indication. “That isn’t any Colonel.  That is Colonel James Rhodes. He pilots War Machine.”

“And is Tony’s best friend.” Bruce finished quietly.  Steve blinked at them.

“So this is Tony’s suggestion?”

Bruce shook his head at that.  “No, Tony supports your role, I think Rhodes decided this.”  Steve met his gaze with a raised eyebrow. “Colonel Rhodes has been Stark Industry’s liaison for years.  He’s one of the youngest Colonels in the Air Force. He had to be to liaise with SI. When Tony was missing, Colonel Rhodes searched for 3 months, probably destroying any chance of a career beyond his current position.  His presence in the Air Force is the only reason I think Tony remained a contractor of non-weapons to the military. Since SI still provides the best in defensive tech, the military probably sees Rhodes as a major asset.  But Rhodes protects Tony.” Bruce shrugs, “Tony calls him Honey-Bear and Sourpatch.”

Steve snorted at the idea of calling the stiff man he’d met earlier anything like that.  Still, “you think he’s right?”

Bruce shrugged, but Natasha spoke next.  “Colonel Rhodes has many virtues in his own right, separate from SI.  He has an engineering degree and has led platoons into combat successfully multiple times.  He also has taught several times. He’s a good instructor by all accounts. Working with Tony overshadows it, but on his own, Rhodes brings a lot to the table.  Recruiting him as a part time to replace Iron Man would be a good idea.”

Steve gaped at her, “You think he’d be a good member of the team?  You think he’d follow my orders?”

Natasha wiped her hands off.  “He was part of my research into Tony.  Once, he entered a mission with four other soldiers.  He was a lieutenant then. The soldiers onsite had a plan already in motion.  Rhodes listened to the plan and agreed with it. Then he gave a Staff Sergeant field command.  He even benched a Master Sergeant for not following the field commander. He supported the sergeant as the best person on the ground since he knew the territory and the plan.  He follows the person best suited for the job.”

Clint nodded.  “In a way, he’s actually auditioning.”  Steve gave him a questioning grunt. Clint grinned.  “Well, if you allow him to train you, you will get excellent training, but more than that, he’ll understand what kind of commander you are, whether you can take a suggestion or order, whether he can trust you in the field, whether he trusts you to lead Tony.  And you can see what kind of soldier he is; whether he can be trusted with your safety, what he cares about in the field, how he responds to you. Its a good idea all around, I can see why the brass allowed him to make the offer.”

Steve was quiet for a few minutes, thinking about all he’d heard.  He wanted to be a good commander and he knew a good one listened to people with expertise.  People like Natasha and Clint.

Later that night, he unearthed his own dress uniform.  Half the medals on it were from his ice nap. Tony had arranged to get them all for him.  He’d even offered to organize a ceremony so he could be awarded them, but Steve turned him down.,  He hated being a dancing monkey. When he’d started working with Colonel Phillips, he’d swore he’d never get that assignment again.

“JARVIS, is Tony still up?”

“Sir is watching a movie with Col. Rhodes in his workshop.”  

Steve sighed.  He’d gotten everyone’s opinion except the one man who might actually know what was going through Rhodes’s head.  But he couldn’t exactly ask him in front of Rhodes.

“Shall I contact Sir for you?”

“No that’s okay.  I’ll figure this out for myself.”

* * *

Steve rose the next morning at 0400.  He dressed in his uniform. He didn’t see anyone in the common kitchen, but Clint was likely watching from the vents and Natasha would find her own way to observe.  He knew his team, they were here.

The elevator opened and Colonel Rhode strode out in the same dress uniform Steve had seen the previous day.  Tony stepped out behind him, but stayed near the elevator. That was enough support for Steve. He didn’t doubt Tony knew what was going on.  If Rhodes didn’t want him interrupting, the colonel would’ve had to make the request earlier and that would’ve involved an explanation.

Colonel stopped in front of Steve, “Rogers?”

Steve met Tony’s eyes over his shoulder a moment.  Tony’s face didn’t give anything away but Steve took comfort in that.  It meant there was no wrong answer to Tony.

“What would this training entail, Sir?”

Rhodes frowned at him, but he continued before the Colonel could be offended.

“Timewise and strength-wise, I need to know how much I will be available to my team.  I won’t leave them without a plan.” Steve waited. Here was the test. If Rhodes was simply pulling rank, wanted Steve to toe a line, he’d need a show of authority here.  But if not, if he genuinely wanted to train Steve, this was a conversation Steve needed to have before he disappeared.

“Your team will be taken care of.  Your training, barring world crisis, will last the standard 8 weeks, 0500 to 1700 at McGuire Air Base.  A quinjet will remain onsite for your use in the event your team is called out. Travel time between base and tower in a quinjet is 25 minutes.”

Steve nodded.  “Thank you Sir.  I gratefully accept the training.  I would be honored to train under you, Colonel.”

Here he could tell he’d surprised the colonel.  Tony didn’t twitch, but Tony knew him better than Rhodes.  Colonel Rhodes saluted him.

“Report to McGuire at 0500 tomorrow.”

Steve returned the salute and watched as Rhodes turned and walked over to Tony.  There was when he saw the man melt a bit. He pulled the genius into a hug before stepping into the elevator.

Tony turned back to him and let out a lungful of air.

“Whew, dodged a bullet there!”

* * *

Steve wasn’t sure what to expect when he arrived at the air base the next day.  Tony dodged any and all questions about the air base or the training. Instead they spent the day setting up the team to handle things during his absence.  Technically, Tony would make the call on whether to pull Steve. He was the second in command and he had the clout to pull Steve regardless of who he talked to.

When he landed, Colonel Rhodes was there to meet him.  He’d received a list of items to bring so his duffel was over one shoulder.  Like Steve, Rhodes was in fatigues and boots.

“Welcome to easy camp, soldier.”  Steve held in a sigh. This macho soldier routine was going to get old.  He’d ignored it in the past when he was stick at Camp Lehigh and it worked better for him in the long run.

“We received your physical strength specs yesterday.  I will be your training instructor for most of the next 8 weeks.  My instruction will be supplemented by Everett Ross on loan from the pentagon and Leonard Sampson.  Pick up soldier, we will talk as we go.”

Rhodes tossed him a com.  Steve slung his bag over his shoulder as he put it in.  He looked up to see a suit fold around Rhodes. He heard the colonel in his ear.

“Lets go.”

* * *

Steve had to admit, racing a suit was harder than the simple running he had been going.  Rhodes stayed within 10- feet of the ground the entire trip, which by itself was impressive since they were crossing wooded terrain.  The camp they ended at already had two men present.

“Gentlemen, I am Colonel Rhodes, on behalf of the US Air Force, thank you for joining us.”  He shook both hands briefly. “Rogers, this is Everett Ross, formerly of the Air Force. He will be overseeing your administration education and this is Leonard Sampson, he will be overseeing your humanities education.  Men, this is Steve Rogers.”

Steve shook both their hands as Rhodes nodded.  “Basic tour and schedule. Rogers will rise at 0500 each morning.  His PT prep will involve us running to mess hall for breakfast and general supplies.  We will be back by 0600, when Breakfast will be served. Rogers will be yours from 0630 until 1000.  I will cover conditioning until lunch at 1200. He will return to you at 1230 hours. I will return at 1530 hours for drills.  At 1700 we will all eat dinner. Evening is our own. Rogers your bunk could be inspected at any time, keep it orderly and neat.  This schedule may change as different training is needed. Any questions?”

Ross shook his head.  Sampson shrugged and smiled so Rhodes turned away.  The pack Rhodes had attached to War Machine was on the ground.  “You two decide who’s with Rogers today, because when I finish the other gets to help me lay out lunch.”

* * *

Steve huffed as he stumbled onto his cot.  He’d only been here two weeks and he was exhausted.  Rhodes did almost all his training in the suit. Steve got the impression this was training for the pilot as much as Steve.  It did mean that the man could keep up with him though.

Their morning jog to get supplies for the day was a nice way to wake up, if Rhodes hadn’t altered the route each day to increase the difficulty until Steve could keep up, barely.   Run might be a tame word to use, it was more parkour than a jog. He’d learned eventually that War Machine Armor was fair game as a spring board when a tree he’d been on broke under his weight.  Rhodes had laughed at that one.

His other training with the Colonel had been equally challenging, pushing his concentration and sometimes patience to the limit.  Between the actual physical training, he learned security and entry control procedures common to bases, and weapon maintenance, both repeats of his own training, but updated for the technology.  Additionally Rhodes showed him basics for drills and how those adapted to field units, including local law enforcement.

Outside of Rhodes, he also was attending lessons from Sampson and Ross.  Ross, who he learned had no relation to Thaddeas Ross from Bruce’s history, walked him through lessons on Military history past world War II, Rank requirements and duties, some of which he already knew, and cyber awareness.  He’d been taking Tony for granted as he learned the vulnerabilities most people had to work with. Dr Sampson, a psychologist, walked him through human relations, cultural sensitivity, suicide and mental instability awareness, and something he called military ethics.  He’d hid his scoff during the first few lessons, he didn’t need a shrink and he wasn’t crazy. Then Sampson took him on a walk. He talked about the history of shrinks and then about the materials he was using. Turned out, they were the same materials the regular Air Force used.  Every air force member had to learn these things. Steve hadn’t known that.

Rhodes had glared at him after that walk, but Steve paid more attention and Rhodes seemed to back off at least.  His relationship with Rhodes was widely variable. One moment Rhodes would be open to communication and the next, he’d be barking at him.  Steve was still trying to pattern the guy out.

He heard a knock at the flap of his tent.  He stuck his head out to see Rhodes. “A couple of the guys at base are going for drinks tonight, you have the night off if you want to join them.”

Steve blinked.  Rhodes didn’t look any different than normal, but Steve thought he detected a slight frown.  Steve grabbed his jacket and wallet before exiting. Rhodes took him by a road he’d not been on before, but it must be how the vehicles made it in and out.  Ross looked fit enough, but Sampson clearly wasn’t military fit and they both came and went as they wished.

“This road drops you off in front of the base.  Be back by 2100 and don’t get into trouble.” Rhodes gestured.  Steve nodded and broke into a loping jog. Apparently Rhodes was really taking them a round-about way in and out because it took him all of 10 minutes to get to the base.  A group of airmen were joking by the door and Steve felt something sweep over him.

When he was in the army, he’d never actually mingled much.  First he was a twig, a gerbil as Phillips once called him, so the other guys got on with him as much as in High school, except instead of Bucky halting the beatings, military discipline did.  After the serum, first he was the fucking dancing monkey and the soldiers jeered at him. Then he was a hero, head of the howling commandos and he finally fit in. But only really with his team.  Sure, he could get lost in a bar, especially with Bucky by his side, but he was never invited to just hang.

Several of the soldiers waved him over and he felt unbelievably sad for a moment, remembering the other young soldiers he’d trained with, waving their own friends over, but not him.  Dying in the war, but not him.

He shook it off and jogged over to catch up.

They were a good group.  One of the gals already had a guy in a headlock and they were joking about something.  Steve rounded them to an even eight members, three of them female.

“Yo, Colonel said he had a trainee in hell camp.  What’d you do to piss someone off that much?” The airman couldn’t have been more than 25 as he slapped Steve’s shoulder.  “By the way I’m Stanson. That’s Mars, Kerns and Waid. The idiot in the vice is Hilden and the vice is Fangel, but we call her Fang.  The hyena on the ground is Dudgeon. You?”

Steve shook his hand, “Rogers.  Steve.” Stanson snorted.

“Yeah I’m Jack, but if you learn our last names first, then we are a hella easier to find, especially in a military base, ya know?”  Steve grinned, having heard that before. He let himself get pulled along to a pair of jeeps and ride into town. A bar on the edge with a pool table was the destination and Jack pulled him up to sit.  

“So you never said earlier, what you do to piss someone off that Colonel had to rescue you.”  Jacks question had him turning his head.

“Rescue?”

Jack shrugged as Mars plopped drinks around.  Steve took a bottle and just played with it, he wasn’t really planning on drinking it.  No buzz, and beer these days tasted odd.

“Yeah.  Hell camp is what we call it, but Colonel only opens it up when he rescues someone about to get the Big Chicken Dinner.”

“The what?”

“Dude, don’t listen to him.  He likes his acronyms way too much.  I’m Faith Kerns.” She took a swallow of beer, “And a Big Chicken Dinner is a BCD, bad conduct discharge.”

Jack shoved her slightly before raising and asking who wanted another round.  Steve made a mental note to make sure the man was conscious when they left.

“He’s not wrong about Col Rhodes though.”

“Yeah,” Mars piped up, “Colonel always sees the asset someone can be, then he helps ‘em change the not so much asset parts.”

Kerns elbowed Steve, “Lurther, here, is a graduate of hell camp in case you couldn’t tell.”

Steve looked around as Fang and Waid started a pool game.  “So this is normal?”

That got him a round of chuckles, but Jack slung an arm across his shoulder.  “For our Colonel? Yup! Colonel Rhodes sees the asset in everyone. Rumor is, he’s a whisperer.”

“A what?”

“A whisperer, you know, someone who tames stuff other folks don’t touch.”

Steve blinked as the other soldiers nodded.  He’d have to remember that.

* * *

Five weeks in and Steve leaned back in the bar seat wondering if he’d go crazy before completing this.  He’d been called out to his team once and his team had been called without him once. Tony even gave him a full, detailed briefing afterward.  Rhodes’ training had shifted to tactics, most of which Steve already knew. Defensive strategies and concealment strategies combined with firing positions and gun courses.  Rhodes kept after him to do it his way, faster and more accurate. The problem was that it worked. Steve could see his accuracy improve, which was impressive considering he’d been on top already with his superior hand eye coordination.

Ross walked him through the military laws, national and international while discussing joint warfare.  He actually enjoyed some of that since he could ask questions about the Howlies and how that would be handled now.  The FPCON levels were thoroughly explained and Steve was dismayed and astonished at the threats the government prepared for in this time.  He also went through CBRNE with Ross and found the man to be a veritable fountain of information and anecdotes. He also gained a lot of respect for Bruce’s work.

Sampson remained a bit of a mystery to him.  They covered the Air Force manuals on training in “Mental prep for combat”, First aid principles, Sexual misconduct and assault, leadership training,  and the “Code of Conduct”. If Steve didn’t know these were from Air Forces basic training, he would have called them Mickey Mouse Rules.

This last week was what his drinking buddies called the BEAST week.  Rhodes had ridden him hard. Ross and Sampson hadn’t been around much as Steve relearned bayonet fighting, with something called a pugel, combat arms training and camp behavior.  All while under threat. Rhodes had five airmen come in each day. Everyone had paintball guns and each day the ‘enemy’ wanted something different. Sometimes Steve was allowed to kill the combatants, most of the time he couldn’t.  Steve didn’t actually want to hurt them anyway.

Steve was ready to take a break.

He’d been to the bar a handful of times with various airmen.  The group shifted around, but Jack and Kerns were constants. Mars came most nights, and tonight was no different.  Steve had grabbed a round of beers to start them off and was now watching Mars finish a pool game in defeat.

He sighed and grabbed one of the unclaimed beers as he rose.  Mars had terrible luck with pool. “Here.”

Mars glanced over and looked at the beer.  He took it, but didn’t open it. Steve grimaced.  “You’ll get him next time. Toast! To completing Beast week.”  Steve held up his beer again. Before Mars could do anything Kerns grabbed him round the neck and swapped drinks.

“Cheers!”  Steve frowned as they all drank and Mars wandered over to the table.  Kerns leaned against the pool table next to Steve as Jack set up another game.  “He can’t drink it.”

Steve looked at her in question.  “Mars, he has this gene that means he can’t tolerate alcohol.  One sip and he’s on the ground.” She took a gulp as Steve looked over at the man telling a funny story to the others.

“Never?”  Steve’s question was met with a shake of her head.

“He used to try every now and again.  Its part of what got him in trouble before Colonel nabbed him.  His platoon didn’t understand and kept after him.” She snorted.  “Wanted him to ‘man up’ or some such nonsense. He’s one of the best radar guys I’ve seen outside a university.  But noooooo, he wasn’t manly because his body reacts to a molecule different than us.” She turned back to him as Jack offered him the pool cue. “You should try.  If you lose at least Mars isn’t alone in his misery.”

Steve hadn’t played yet.  He’d tried back in the war, but his handle on his strength overpowered everything.  Sighing he picked up the cue and tapped the ball gingerly.

The break was pitiful and Jack choked on his drink.  Jack made quick to sink two balls before handing it back to Steve.  Two more light taps that barely moved the ball and they’d attracted attention.

“Yo Rogers, you ain’t gonna hurt its feelings.”  Steve gritted his teeth. To his knowledge, these guys hadn’t identified him quite yet.  He’d like to keep it that way.

“Come on, big guy.  Give it some juice.”  He glanced at Kerns. Faith had become a good friend and had explained some of the more frustrating side of his training.  He was so sick of being this different.

His distraction meant that the next hit had shot the ball across the room.  Most of the room laughed drunkenly as Jack retrieved the ball. He was about to set it down when he stopped and turned back tot he bar.  He handed the ball and a ten over and got a new ball.

When he saw the frown directed at him, he shrugged.  “Dented it.”

Steve winced.  He waited for the silence and stares, but Mars simply slapped him on the back laughing.  Kerns’s eyes were dancing when she met his, “Maybe not that hard, soldier.”

He ducked his head and next turn, he tapped it gently.  It didn’t even go as far as before. Jack sunk the rest of his balls easily.  He laughed with everyone else and accepted his consolation beer as Harrison set up to play Jack.  

A bit later in the night, Kerns pulled him aside.  He sighed, he’d enjoyed the normality while it lasted.

“You should train that.”  He glanced at her, but she was looking at the room.  

“I’m trying.”  

“With military training?”She snorted.  “I don’t think so.”

Steve looked at her in frustration.  “Do you have a recommendation?”

She picked up a cue ball from the full box next to her.  She looked at him and crushed it. She handed the crumpled bits of plastic to him as she took another drink.  

Steve studied it.  “You’re enhanced.”

She snorted again, this time with a great deal of derision.  “Not more than the rest of my family, actually.”

Steve took another sip.

“Look, you got your strength from science, but some of us get ours naturally.  We’re called mutants. My mother’s family has this gene. Runs through our family.”  She set her empty down.

“Not something we advertise really, but the strength starts young, toddler young.”  She waved Mars off for another drink. “We have to learn very young how to gauge our strength, to never hurt anything we don’t want to.  But its hard. Kids, little kids, they don’t care. They don’t understand care yet. We have to teach them control and to care very young.  Gentle must be subconscious or we could hurt someone.”

Steve looked over to see her meeting his eye.  She held out her hand, palm out. He placed his palm against hers.  “Push.”

He did, gently trying to move her hand.  When it didn’t move, he pushed harder. He increased the strength until he felt his chair start to move.  Kerns didn’t blink. Steve backed off and their hands never moved.

“You have to be able to gauge not only your strength, but the strength of your target.”  Steve looked down. “If you want help, call.”

Kerns stood and smiled at him.

“It’s nice to meet you, Captain.”  Steve startled at the title. No one here had mentioned recognizing him.  She waved at the others and left.

Jack sat next to him with another drink.  “She ships overseas at 0530 tomorrow so she’s leaving early.”  He tapped their drinks.

It wasn’t until he was back in his tent that he looked at the paper she left with him.

_Sarah Gale Bradley - 205-453-6125_

* * *

Three weeks later, Steve was sitting at lunch.  He had two more days of the training.

He had completed the normal training with Ross on financial management, which he actually needed, technical and computer training, which he hadn’t needed, and military referrals, which he had desperately needed.   Ross had given him a rather blatant and thorough education on money management. Steve started to wonder how Tony was covering everything. He started to ask questions and he knew his jaw dropped when he tallied all the money the Avengers were likely costing Tony.

Thanks to living with Tony, he didn’t need the technical and computer updates, except to learn the military interface.  But the military referral system was an education. One, Ross drove home with precision and ruthlessness. Steve could see how his method of dealing with the local law enforcement had made life more difficult for his team.  He went back and looked at some of the PR Tony had done to put out fires and he felt ashamed of himself. His desire to not be a dancing monkey, he’d let his teamate humiliate himself repeatedly for the team. No wonder Rhodes was pissed.  Ross completed the training he was giving three days ago.

They parted with a handshake.

Sampson had stayed on a few extra days.  He’d finish the air force training in envirnmental training, combat stress recovery and sexually transmitted diseases.  Afterward, Sampson had given Steve his own crash course in current psychology and art. It was a deal they had made early on; Steve would tolerate and even learn what he was teaching with an open mind and let Sampson show him the benefit of Psychology and in return, Sampson would try his hand at art and accept Steve’s opinion at the end of the lessons.  

Sampson couldn’t draw to save his life, or anyone else's.  And Steve still thought Psychology was for guys too broken to take life as it comes.  But they did part as friends, albeit ones that didn’t get along. Steve was glad to be free of those lessons, even if he’d learned some great stuff.

Rhodes’s training had gotten interesting.  They’d graduated to using multiple teams and varied terrain.  Rhodes had actually taken him aside eventually and told him that his fighting style would get someone killed, he needed to learn it from the ground up.  They’d started with drills Rhodes was used to and moved from there. Rhodes stayed in the suit and Steve could see Rhodes’s movements smooth out as they practice.  

This last week, one week beyond the Air Force Basic training, was covering international combat and viewing long term strategy.  Rhodes had admitted right out, that Steve was an excellent tactician. He could handle that on the fly amazingly. But his ability to plan out a battle, to utilize everyone’s skills from the get-go languished while he depended on his teammates to showcase their abilities as they were useful.  Rhodes walked him through evaluating his teammates and even newcomers mid battle. They worked on signs of stress and distress during a maneuver and how to take the weight off a comrade when they bite off more than they could chew.

These last few days Rhodes was going to sit down with him directly and discuss training for the avengers moving forward.  Steve had come to respect the Colonel, even if they had yet to be on friendly terms.

That was why he was surprised when Rhodes sat next to him at lunch with his coffee.  When Rhodes didn’t look him in the eye, he knew. He just knew.

“Who?”

During the war, you learned that face.  You learned it so well, you could read it on a stranger’s eyes, in their stance, by their hopeful smile.  It was like they were saying ‘I hope I’m not about to destroy your life’.

Someone was gone.

“I didn’t want to mention it until they’d sent the confirmation.”  Rhodes took a breath. Steve set down him spoon and waited as names flew through his head.  His teammates, who had become his family. Fury, any of the SHIELD personnel who had been kind to him, and a few who hadn’t.

“Sergeant Kerns.”

Steve froze.

What?

Kerns?

“I know you had gotten to know her recently…”

Steve couldn’t really hear Rhodes as he talked.  He was certain if given half a brain he could guess anyway, but Kerns?

“H-how?”

Rhodes looked into his coffee cup as if it would save him the pain of answering, of talking about it at all.

“IED.  Took out their escape route.”  Rhodes sighed. “Most of its classified, but you have enough clearance for the basics.  They’d been set to ambush, but the bastards got wind. The whole group tried to retreat through the crevices.  Good places to hide, but terrible place to be in a rock slide.”

Steve could well imagine.  He remembered the train and the threat of avalanche if they weren’t careful enough.

“Kerns, she- well she held off the rockslide until her team got clear, but…”

Steve stood.  “But did they check?  Maybe she survived the rockslide?  She could. I mean she’s-” Steve cut himself off.  Kerns had trusted him with a secret, but Rhodes smile was sad.

“Not with a bullet spray.”  Steve sat down hard. Rhodes’s voice was quiet, respectful.  “I wondered if you knew. Not many people did. She held what her commander guessed was 200 kilos over her head to let them get clear.  Even with four bullets in her, she held until they all got clear. Then she said they wouldn’t be followed.”

Steve knew what that meant.  Kerns let the rocks fall on her to prevent them from being followed, at least right away.  Steve understood that. After all, he’d done something similar.

“I understand.”  Steve quietly intoned the same thing he’d said before when receiving this news.  Rhodes snorted.

“That makes one of us.”  Rhodes’s hands clenched around his coffee.  Steve looked up at his angered face. “I know what she did.  I know why she did it. That doesn’t mean I understand, Steve.  I accept it, but I don’t understand.” Rhodes stood.

“The base is the location chosen for the dignified transfer.  She’ll be home tonight.”

Steve looked up.  “Sir, who is…”

Rhodes stopped.  “Her husband, brother and mother.  Her child isn’t old enough yet.”

“I’d like to be there.”  

“I thought you might.”  Rhodes nodded. “I’ll see you in two days, 0500.  Don’t be late Rogers.”

* * *

Steve let out a whoosh as the quinjet settled on its landing gear at Avenger tower.  The last two months had been tough. Tough, but good. Steve knew he had a lot of training to finish to catch up with the times, but somehow, training with Rhodes had been different.  

He’d met soldiers who welcomed him, not as Captain America, but as a brother in arms.  He’d earned the respect of a Colonel, the hard way. It reminded him of earning Col Phillips respect.  In his pocket was the contact information for Kerns’s family, including her son Eli Kerns-Bradley. He promised to visit.

He looked at his team, who had gathered to greet him.  They were why he’d agreed to the training. He glanced back at Rhodes, but the colonel was already looking at him with a smile.

“Welcome home Captain.”  Rhodes held out a hand and Steve shook it, the feeling that he’d accomplished so much overwhelming him.  Rhodes grinned and then trotted down the walkway to receive the tackle by his favorite genius. Steve had to chuckle as Tony started talking immediately, even though his friend kept glancing at the weary Captain.  

He nodded to Natasha and Bruce, both of whom had their aprons on and dashed off, probably to the kitchen.  Thor wasn’t there, but Clint came up beside him and slapped him on the back.

“So shower, bed or food first soldier?”  

Steve grinned at Clint.

Yup.

Welcome Home!

**Author's Note:**

> Sarah Gale Bradley is an actual character in Marvel. Her father survived pseudo super solider experimentation, in my head cannon, because his family was already strong and the experiments only enhanced it
> 
> I may do a follow up where Steve actually visits the family. We will see.


End file.
